/
..
-4
•
ThirtY days until spring
J
Volume 2, Issue 19 ..__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
© MetroPress February 20, 1980
RUmors fOrce early announcement~
~
I
Controversial VP to resign post I.
by Sal Ruibal Dr. Jerald B. Johnson, vice . president for college relations for MSC, will resign at the end of the current Legislative session to "pursue opportunities in the private sector.'' • As Vice President for College Relations, Johnson was responsible for developing and maintaining contacts between the college and the public, including the legislature, state agencies, alumni, media, sources of funding, and the greater Denver community. Johnson was appointed to the position by MSC President Donald Macintyre only seven • months ago. Macintyre -said last week that Johnson's departure "came as a complete surprise." The resignation may have · surprised Macintyre, but the MSC rumor mill was cranking out c. stories of Johnson's exit as early as Monday, Feb. 11. · According .to those rumors, Johnson was being forced out of his post for a variety of indiscretions ranging from singing Christ-.,; mas carols in the West Classroom hallways while clad in a Santa suit to uttering in a Denver .bar certain disparaging remarks about mem-
...-
}?ers of the legislature. Sources within MSC's academic and administrative staffs could verify only that the Santa suit incident did occur, but had no bearing on Johnson's decision to quit the $41,000 a year post. In a Feb. 15 interview, Johnson said "there is no truth to the rumor that Don (Macintyre) fired me.'' Johnson's good-bye letter to his "colleagues" made two references to the rampant rumors: "I am just a little embarrassed to be telling you this so long before I'm leaving, but I didn't expect word of my decision to travel so quickly." Johnson said he chose to make the announcement before the end of the legislative session because "I don~t want my departure to fuel the gossip mill more than it already has." Prior to his MSC appointment in July 1979, Johnson had resigned from his position as Vice President for University Relations at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. That separation also aroused considerable speculation, but in contrast to the situation at MSC, Johnson's problems at UNC
were wrought with intrigue and splashy exposure in the Greeley media. Johnson clashed with the campus newspaper, The Mirror, over the construction of a controversial $10 million recreation center and auditorium at UNC. The Mirror quoted Johnson in 1978 as saying "I just sat there and liQd through my teeth," in reference to his testimony before a ballot committee meeting concerning the
project. "I am most troubled by (the impression) that I am in any way dishonest when my self-concept is that I am honest. Dumb, perhaps, but honest!" Johnson said, after vindication of wrongdoing by an ad hoc UNC committee. Six weeks after his resignation from UNC, Johnson joined the administration at Metropolitan State College.
MSC's new vice president of academic affairs is a transplanted San Franciscan who believes in results through cooperation and sees some changes coming down_the road.
pg 4 . •
Metrostyle takes a look at the new Al Pacino film, Cruising, a sordid trip into the S&M homosexual underworld. Also, reviews of an outstanding recording by an unknown group and a disappointing effon.by an established star.
pg. 8
With spring in the air, for a while anyway, Donald Griego talks with Bill Helman, MSC bas~ball coach, and previews the upcoming season.
pg• 10